Sport: Finger Exercise

As far back as the 14th century, and perhaps before, Bavarian males have
tested each other by the simple, direct method of sitting on opposite
sides of a table, inserting their middle fingers in a leather loop and
pulling. Well ballasted by beer, a hefty Bauerbursche (farm boy) can
jerk an opponent belly-first across the table. At wedding receptions
and opulent wakes, muscular champions of Fingerhackln (finger
wrestling) customarily duel for a girl's favors. Last week in the
market hall at Rosenheim, 76 burly Bavarians met for the Fingerhackln
championship of the entire state.